Congratulations to Spencer Schwartz from Penncrest High school, our first place winner of the Poetry Out Loud 2021 Regional competition, and Olivia Currier first runner-up from Merion Mercy Academy. We would like to thank all of our students, representing eight high schools across southeastern PA, for participating in this year’s competition.
This year was truly like no other, as students submitted their recitations virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. All of the participants did an amazing job navigating this extra challenge to share their work
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life.
We would also like to sincerely thank the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, our panel of judges, the teachers, families, and friends for supporting these students and the Poetry Out Loud event.
Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership produces the Regional Southeastern Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud competition for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 
